News for Now Update: Week ending April 23, 2022

New Regenerative Agriculture Initiatives in Maryland, Pennsylvania
A wave of regenerative-agriculture-focused initiatives is sweeping across Maryland and Pennsylvania, with farmers like Ron Holter and organizations like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation leading the way. Mounting evidence for the environmental benefits of regenerative practices, along with economic benefits for farmers, makes the case for expanding federal funding to support those committed to taking better care of our land and animals. Read more at Civil Eats.

Study: Artificial Sweeteners Disrupt Liver Function
Concerns over artificial sweeteners grow as new evidence from the Medical College of Wisconsin shows how they disrupt liver function, even at levels well below recommended maximum intake, and may interfere with certain medications; meanwhile, without U.S. Food and Drug Administration nutrient label requirements, consumers are left in the dark, both about those recommended limits and about how much our foods contain. Find out more in SciTechDaily.

Huggable Solutions to Stress, Anxiety, Fear, Grief, and Dementia
Highlighting our essential need for human touch, researchers find that not only children, but many adults, seek solace in “comfort objects.” Studies have tied stuffed animals, weighted blankets, breathing cushions, and more to reduced stress, anxiety, fear, and grief; even people with dementia see benefits. Learn more about how this knowledge is being used to create huggable solutions at Time.

Benefits of Indigenous Farming Attracts Federal Interest
Disregarded for centuries, the wisdom of indigenous farming is now drawing government interest at the federal level. Faced with pandemic supply chain challenges, farmers embracing regenerative, earth-friendly practices have proven their approach more resilient than industrial agriculture which depletes soil, degrades planet health, and produces less nutritious food. Read about the tribes whose knowledge could heal our broken food system at The New Humanitarian.

Pioneer Archives Post: Royal Lee, DDS’s Discussion of How Vitamin Deficiency Affects Dental Health
Nutrition plays a key role in optimal dental health. In this 1955 article, Royal Lee, DDS discusses how vitamin deficiency affects dental health—and the specific reactions those deficiencies produce. He also looks at the importance of a balanced vitamin intake, cold sores and fever blisters, why vitamin C is “most important,” and Dr. Weston A. Price’s efforts to prove his assertion that vitamin deficiency is the primary cause of cavities. Read more in our Pioneer Archives Post.